Combination tie-plate and rail anchor



L. J. BERG COMBINATION TIE PLATE AND RAIL ANCHOR Aug. 14. 1928.

Filed March 1926 Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATE LEwIs .r. BERG, or BROADHEAD, WISCONSIN.

COMBINATION TIE-PLATE AND RAIL ANCHOR.

Application filed March 4, 1926. Serial .No. 92,222.

This invention relates to a combination tie plate and rail anchor.

Objects of thisinvention are to provide a combination tie plate and rail anchor which will provide a bearing for the rail upon the cross tie, and which also will lock the rail in position and prevent creeping or shifting thereof.

Further objects are to provide a device in' which locking means cooperate both with the body of the tie plate and with the base of the rail and are held in place by means of the spikes which retain the rail in place.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the plate showing a rail in position, such View corresponding to a section on the line 1'1 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1, with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a slightly modified form.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that the combined tie late and rail anchor comprises a plate 1 wh1ch is adapted to rest upon the cross tie, and which is preferably provided with a plurality of downwardly extending ribs 2 adapted to bite into or engage the cross tie. This tie plate is provided with a pair of ribs 3 and 4 on opposite sides thereof. These ribs are each provided with inwardl directed flanges as indicated at 3 and 4 1n Figure 1. The flange 3 is ada ted to engage one edge of the base 5 of t e rail. The other side of the tie plate carries a slidable wedge 6 which is provided with a longitudinally extending tongue or flan e 7 which interlocks with the flange 4, as iown most clearly in Figure 1. This wedge is further provided with a projecting flange 8 which overhangs the base of the rail and interlocks therewith. It is to be noted that the base or bottom surface of the wedge 6 contacts directly with the flat .surface of the tie plate.

In order to insure the correct locking of the wedge with respect to the rail and tie plate, apertures 9 are formed in the wedge and these apertures are adapted to align with the apertures 10 through the tie plate when the wedge has been driven into place. Preferably, the apertures 10 are slightly elongated to afford adjustment for the wedge. After these apertures have been aligned, the spikes 11 are passed through such aligned apertures and are driven into the cros tie. The other side of the tie plate is provided with apertures 12 adapted to receive the spikes 13.

From Figure 2 it will be seen that a very secure engagement occurs when the wedge is "driven in place due to the tapered formation of the wedge and the slanting arrangement of therib 4. Thus, the wedge may be driven tightly into place to secure the rail, and thereafter, locked in such adjusted position by means of the spikes 11.

It is to be noted from reference to Figure 1 that the base of the rail is below the inwardly directed flange 4: of the rib 4, and consequently, the maximum security is attained as there is no tendency for the wedge to tip. The adjustment afforded by the elongated apertures 10 in the tie plate permits the accurate fitting of the wedge to rails of slightly diflerent widths and bases. This variation in bases actually occurs in the manufacture of the rails, and although there is not a marked variation, nevertheless, it is necessary in order to secure binding relation for the wedge at all times to provide for this slight inaccuracy.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 3, it will be seen that the rib 14, corresponding to the rib 4:, is considerably higher than the rib 4- as illustrated in Fig ure 1, and that the wedge 15 is correspondingly thicker. The purpose of this is to accommodate the flange 16 of the fish plate 17 as well as the base of the rail. Otherwise, this construction is the same as that illustrated in Figure 1.

It will be seen that a very simple and practical form of combined .tie plate and rail anchor has been provided by this in-- vention. It will be seen further that the maximum stability is secured by the construction described in detail above, and that there is no tendency for the wedge to rock about its outer edge. Further, it is to be noted thatthe body of the spikes 11 contact with the marginal edge of the base 1 of the rail, and aids in attaining the desired security of attachment. Further than this, the heads of the spikes 11 overhang the flange 8. of the wedge and hold such flange tightly against the top of the base of the rar Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting as the invention may be variously embodied and as the scope of such invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim:

A combination tie plate and rail anchor comprising a plate adapted to rest upon a cross tie, and having a flat upper surface adapted to receive the base of a rail, said plate having a pair of spaced ribs each equipped with an inwardly directedfiange, both of such flanges being located above the upper surface of the outer edge of the rail base With one of the flanges overhanging a marginal edge of the rail base, a tapered Wedge interlocking with the other of said flanges, and having a flange overhanging the base of the rail. said Wedge and said plate having aligning apertures adapted to receive spikes, the apertures of the plate being elongated to permit adjustment of the wedge to accommodate variation in the Width of rail bases and located adjacent the edge of the base of the rail, \vhereb the stems of the spikes contact with the etge of the base of the rail, the heads of the spikes overhanging the base of the rail and contacting with said Wedge.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Broadhead, in the County of Green and State of W isconsin.

LEWIS J. BERG. 

